Written Answers Monday 5 February 2007

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers there have been in each parliamentary constituency in each of the last five years, also showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Ross Finnie: Agricultural statistics by parliamentary constituency are currently under development by the Environment and Rural Affairs Department and are not yet available.

Apprenticeships

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people living in the (a) ML8, (b) ML9, (c) ML10, (d) ML11 and (e) ML12 postcode areas have undertaken a modern apprenticeship since 1999.

Allan Wilson: The number of modern apprentices broken down by post code area and by year is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. This information is not held centrally.

Apprenticeships

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Clydesdale took up modern apprenticeships in (a) 2003, (b) 2004, (c) 2005 and (d) 2006.

Allan Wilson: The number of modern apprentices (MAs) broken down by parliamentary constituency and by year is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. This information is not held centrally.

  However, Scottish Enterprise have published these figures for 2005 and are in the public domain. These can be found on their website: http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/sedotcom_home/training-providers-top/training-providers/performance-and-reports.htm?siblingtoggle=1.

Breastfeeding

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of mothers were recorded at their six to eight week review as breastfeeding in NHS Tayside and NHS Grampian in each year since 2000.

Lewis Macdonald: Centrally held information on pre-school child health surveillance reviews are derived from the Child Health Systems Project–Pre-School system (CHSP-PS). NHS Grampian do not participate in this system and therefore the requested information for NHS Grampian is not centrally available. Information for NHS Tayside is shown in the following table.

  NHS Tayside – Breastfeeding at the Six to Eight Week Review by Year of Birth

  

 
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005


Number of Reviews1
3,647
3,690
3,491
3,731
3,718
3,795


Percentage Breastfed2
39.4
38.5
39.5
38.4
37.0
40.1



  Source: ISD Scotland, CHSP-PS November 2006. Ref: IR2007-00255.Notes:1. Excludes reviews where breastfeeding information is not valid.2. Exclusively breast-fed or fed mixed breast and bottle.

Building Standards

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive was not implemented in Scotland on 4 January 2006, as required by Article 15 of that directive.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows:

  Directive 2002/91/EC was implemented in Scotland on 4 January 2006. However, notification of implementation to the European Commission was made in April 2006, to align with notification from England and Wales.

Building Standards

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has that Scotland does not have sufficient qualified or accredited experts for full implementation of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows:

  In the early years of Directive implementation, it is estimated that there will be around 250,000 energy performance certificates required per annum. The calculation tools which support the methodology required by the Directive 2002/91/EC were only finalised in spring of 2006. Also, the agency is in the process of setting up protocols with professional organisations who can accredit their members to do the certification and inspection work. Clearly there are not yet sufficient experts to do this work and enable full implementation.

Building Standards

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the European Commission was notified of Scotland’s inability to implement the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive on time and what reasons were given to the commission.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows:

  The Directive was implemented in Scotland on time, on 4 January 2006. Notification of implementation to the European Commission was made in April 2006, to align with notification from England and Wales. As with the remainder of the UK, Scotland has chosen to derogate full implementation of Articles 7, 8 and 9. The reason given to the Commission by the UK was on the basis of insufficient "Independent Experts" as required by Article 10 and permitted by Article 15.

Building Standards

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scottish framework is for approval of independent experts, required under Article 10 of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, and what the timetable is for approval of these experts.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows:

  In broad terms, the framework is that the agency will enter into protocols with professional organisations that can support their members by facilitating or approving training in the calculation tools which support the methodology and the energy performance certification procedures. These organisations then have the ability to state who has completed courses and are therefore in a position to do energy certification. Another important aspect of protocol is that such organisations have a code of conduct for their members which includes:

  a requirement that their members do not work beyond their level of expertise, and

  have disciplinary procedures for members that behave in a reckless manner.

  Discussions on protocols so far, have been with the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) and Royal Incorporation of Architects (RIAS). The agency, however, will be prepared to enter into protocols with other professional organisations that can meet similar criteria.

  The timetable for introduction of energy performance certificates when buildings are sold (introduction in 2008) and when buildings are rented out (introduction in 2009) is sufficient to allow experts to become accredited.

Children in Care

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children there were in care in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Hugh Henry: The information requested is contained in a number of published documents, the details of which are outlined below. Copies of the documents are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

  2006: Looked After Children 2005-06 (Bib. number 41103).

  2005: Children’s Social Work Statistics 2004-05 (Bib. number 38157).

  2004: Children’s Social Work Statistics 2003-04 (Bib. number 34321).

  2003: Children’s Social Work Statistics 2002-03 (Bib. number 29834).

  2002: Children Looked After 2001-02 (Bib. number 25693).

  2001: Children Looked After In The Year To 31 March 2001 (Bib. number 21259).

  2000: Children Looked After In The Year To 31 March 2000 (Bib. number 12385).

  1999: Information on Children Looked After as at 31st March 1999 (Bib. number 25692).

Children in Care

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were in care because of parental alcohol and substance abuse in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Hugh Henry: Information about the number of children in care because of parental alcohol and substance abuse in each year since 1999 is not held centrally.

Climate Change

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its Cabinet has received a report on the objectives presented in Changing Our Ways: Scotland’s Climate Change Programme , as outlined in Section 7.6 of that document, and, if not, when it will do so and discuss any progress.

Ross Finnie: Changing Our Ways; Scotland’s Climate Change Programme , published on 30 March 2006, commits the Executive to report annually to the Scottish Cabinet in the first instance, and to then submit a report to Parliament. In line with that commitment, the first annual report is due to be submitted to Cabinet by the end of March 2007 and, thereafter, to Parliament.

Climate Change

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Parliament will be given a progress report on the objectives presented in Changing Our Ways: Scotland’s Climate Change Programme , as outlined in Section 7.6 of that document, and when the Executive will propose that the Parliament debates the report.

Ross Finnie: Changing Our Ways; Scotland’s Climate Change Programme , published on 30 March 2006, commits the Executive to report annually to the Scottish Cabinet in the first instance, and to then submit a report to Parliament. In line with that commitment, the first annual report is due to be submitted to Cabinet by the end of March 2007 and, thereafter, to Parliament.

Communities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30546 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2007, whether it will provide a breakdown of the investigations carried out into the Chirnsyde Initiative over the last five years and their outcomes.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Administration of the Chirnsyde Community Initiative is a matter for Glasgow City Council. All investigations into the Initiative over the past five years have been conducted by the City Council with assistance from key partner agencies such as Strathclyde Police. Details of the investigations and their outcomes are not held centrally.

Communities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30544 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2007, why it has not made any representations to Glasgow City Council regarding the administration of the Chirnsyde Community Initiative.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The administration of Chirnsyde Community Initiative is a matter for Glasgow City Council. Locally, Communities Scotland in their role as Board members of the local community planning partnership, have been updated on investigations into the Initiative.

Communities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30545 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2007, whether it will detail the various funds it provides to local authorities and community planning partners for investment in community groups, also indicating how it monitors how the funding is subsequently allocated and spent.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Local authorities and Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) do not receive funding from the Scottish Executive for investment exclusively in community groups, although these groups often receive funding through a number of programmes, for example the Community Regeneration Fund or Community Voices Programme.

  Communities Scotland monitors use of the Community Regeneration Fund and Community Voices Programme thorough scrutiny of the Regeneration Outcome Agreement between the CPP and Scottish ministers.

Communities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Glasgow City Council has received through the Community Regeneration Fund and other funds for investment in community groups and how the council has allocated this money, broken down by fund and group.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The Community Regeneration Fund and associated Community Voices Programme are allocated to community planning partnerships, not local authorities. The Glasgow Community Planning Partnership has been allocated around £128 million from both funds for the period 2005-08. Neither grant is exclusively for investment in community groups, although these groups do access both.

  All investment decisions are made by the Partnership and steered by the Partnership’s Regeneration Outcome Agreement, a copy of which can be viewed on Communities Scotland’s website http://www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk.

Communities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30545 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2007, whether it will detail and explain those terms and conditions of Community Regeneration Fund grants that include the provision to withhold grants from local authorities if any allegations of malpractice come to light.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Full terms and conditions associated with the Community Regeneration Fund are published on Communities Scotland’s website http://www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk. Paragraph 40 sets out the circumstances which may lead to grant being withheld from the grant recipient (local authority).

Communities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30545 by Rhona Brankin in 18 January 2007, whether it considers it appropriate that, if allegations of malpractice come to light which in turn could lead to the withholding of a grant to a local authority, the local authority responsible for administering the grant and in danger of losing the grant should be responsible for investigating such allegations and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  As the accountable body, the local authority is responsible for disbursing Community Regeneration Fund grant to organisations. Since the local authority is in control of that stage of the transfer of grant funding it is appropriate that the local authority should be responsible for investigating allegations of malpractice.

Communities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in ensuring replacement community facilities for the Milton area, in light of the closure of Chirnsyde Community Initiative.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  As owner of the premises formerly hosting the Chirnsyde Community Initiative and majority funder of all activities delivered there, Glasgow City Council is currently attempting to source alternative accommodation for affected services.

  We understand that this work is progressing, with alternative premises already identified for some of the projects.

Communities

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30550 by Cathy Jamieson on 19 January 2007, whether the Minister for Justice will meet residents of Milton, Glasgow, to discuss the current situation in that area.

Cathy Jamieson: As stated in the answer to question S2W-30550 on 19 January 2007, the Executive is fully committed to working with the Scottish police service and other partners to reduce violence within every community in Scotland. The specific issues facing the community in Milton are a matter for Strathclyde Police.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Communities

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the liquidation of One Plus will have on projects such as the "Grow Your Own" training programme for community workers in north-west Dumfries.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  In light of the liquidation of One Plus, Dumfries and Galloway Council are working with affected projects in their area, including the "Grow Your Own" training programme, to determine transitional arrangements to maintain the service.

Council Tax

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many recipients of council tax benefit aged 60 or over there were in (a) Angus and (b) Aberdeenshire local authority areas in each of the last three years for which the information is available, also showing what percentage of the over-60 age group they represented.

Mr Tom McCabe: The data relating to recipients of council tax benefit are presented in terms of benefit units, which are based on households in receipt of council tax benefit and as a result may contain two or more persons (possibly one of whom may also be aged under 60). These data are reported in the following table.

  Number of Benefit Units Containing One or More Persons Aged Over 60 Receiving Council Tax Benefit**

  

Local Authority
2004
2005
2006


Aberdeenshire
7,240
7,490
7,640


Angus
5,160
5,410
5,570



  Note: **The data have been provided by the Department of Work and Pensions and relate to benefit units, not counts of persons. Figures include benefit units where there is a single person aged over 60, and benefit units containing two or more persons where at least one is aged over 60. Council tax benefit figures exclude any second adult rebate cases. The source is the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System quarterly caseload.

  It is not appropriate to divide council tax benefit units by population figures for the over-60 age group, as these are on a different basis.

Digital Technology

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-19064 by Tavish Scott on 20 September 2005 and S2W-22307 by Nicol Stephen on 30 January 2006 and the publication of A Study into Broadband Reach in Scotland, when it expects broadband to be available in Ewes in Langholm, Dumfriesshire.

Nicol Stephen: At the end of last year, I allocated £5 million funding to help extend coverage to those who still cannot receive a broadband service. We are currently prioritising areas according to need as well as the costs of potential solutions. We expect to announce the first areas to receive support in March, with delivery thereafter.

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much specific funding has been allocated for drug and alcohol treatment services in (a) Angus and (b) Aberdeenshire in each year since 2003-04.

Cathy Jamieson: Funding is allocated to health boards for drug treatment and care services and to tackle alcohol problems. Angus falls within the boundaries of Tayside Health Board and Aberdeenshire falls within the boundaries of Grampian Health Board.

  The following table sets out the funding that has been made available to Tayside and Grampian Health Boards for drug treatment and care services since 2003-04.

  

Health Board
2003-04 (£000)
2004-05 (£000)
2005-06 (£000)
2006-07 (£000)


Tayside
1,483
1,559
1,965
1,965


Grampian
1,314
1,963
2,202
2,202



  Angus Council received £146,000 per annum over the period 2003-04 to 2004-05 to tackle drug misuse. Aberdeenshire Council received £302,000 per annum over the same period to tackle drug misuse.

  The following table sets out the funding that has been made available to Tayside and Grampian Health Boards to tackle alcohol problems since 2004-05.

  

Health Board
2003-04 (£000)
2004-05 (£000)
2005-06 (£000)
2006-07 (£000)


Tayside
0
168
556
556


Grampian
0
212
699
699

Early Years

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children living in the (a) ML8, (b) ML9, (c) ML10, (d) ML11 and (e) ML12 postcode areas have benefited from Sure Start.

Hugh Henry: Data on the number of individual beneficiaries of services provided under the Sure Start Scotland programme, broken down by postcode area, are not held centrally.

Employment

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduates from (a) Angus and (b) Aberdeenshire have returned to work in their local authority area in each of the last three years for which the information is available.

Nicol Stephen: The following table shows the number of graduates at postgraduate, first degree or sub-degree level that were domiciled in (a) Angus, (b) Aberdeenshire before they started their course. To determine how many of them left their local authority area to study and then returned to work in their local authority area requires information on commuting which is not available centrally.

  Number of Graduates from HEIs from Angus and Aberdeenshire

  

Domicile Prior to Study
(a) Angus
(b) Aberdeenshire


2002-03
745
1,630


2003-04
800
1,725


2004-05
780
1,955



  Note: The table includes students graduating from a postgraduate or undergraduate course at a UK HEI (excluding the Open University). All numbers have been rounded to the nearest five.

European Union

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drafts of the EU Business: Reviews of Engagement with Europe and of EU Office reports have been produced and, of these, how many have been circulated to ministers.

Mr Tom McCabe: There is only one draft version of each of the reports and these were submitted to Ministers on 29 September 2006.

European Union

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the decision to publish the EU Business: Reviews of Engagement with Europe and of EU Office reports was taken.

Mr Tom McCabe: No decision has been taken on whether to publish the reports, as they have not yet been finalised.

European Union

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for implementing the recommendations contained in the EU Business: Reviews of Engagement with Europe and of EU Office reports.

Mr Tom McCabe: As the reports are only in draft form, and no recommendations have yet been submitted to Ministers or agreed by them, there is not yet any implementation timetable.

European Union

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions Scottish ministers have attended meetings of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe since the Executive joined in 2002.

Mr Tom McCabe: The then Deputy First Minister, Jim Wallace MSP, attended the General Assembly of the CPMR in Ioannina, Greece in September 2002. In September 2004, the then Deputy Minister for Finance, Public Services and Parliamentary Business, Tavish Scott MSP, attended the CPMR General Assembly in Stavanger, Norway. Mr Scott also addressed the General Assembly of the North Sea Commission, a geographical Commission of the CPMR, in Aviemore on 15 June 2006 in his capacity as Minister for Transport.

European Union

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the final version of the leaked document produced by the head of its European Office, referred to in an article in The Herald on 22 January 2007, to be completed and when it will make that document public.

Mr Tom McCabe: The document is intended to be finalised later this year. May I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-31325 on 5 February 2007, when I said that no decision has been taken on whether to publish the reports at that stage. It is not our normal policy to publish internal management reports.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Forestry

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many forestry workers there have been in each parliamentary constituency in each of the last five years, also showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Ross Finnie: The following table 1 shows the number of employee jobs in the Forestry, Logging and related service activities industry (SIC 02.01 and 02.02) by parliamentary constituency for the last five years.

  The following table 2 shows the percentage change in employee jobs in the Forestry, Logging and related service activities industry by parliamentary constituency over the last five years.

  Table 1 Employee Jobs in the Forestry, Logging and Related Service Activities Industry by Parliamentary Constituency, 2001-05

  

 
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005


Aberdeen Central
*
*
*
*
*


Aberdeen North
*
*
*
*
*


Aberdeen South
*
*
*
*
*


Airdrie and Shotts
*
*
*
*
*


Angus
*
*
*
*
*


Argyll and Bute
300
300
300
300
300


Ayr
*
*
*
*
*


Banff and Buchan
*
*
*
*
*


Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
100
100
100
100
100


Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
*
*
*
*
*


Central Fife
*
*
*
*
*


Clydebank and Milngavie
*
*
*
*
*


Clydesdale
*
*
*
*
*


Coatbridge and Chryston
*
*
*
*
*


Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
*
*
*
*
*


Cunninghame North
*
*
*
*
*


Cunninghame South
*
*
*
*
*


Dumbarton
*
*
*
*
*


Dumfries
200
300
200
200
200


Dundee East
*
*
*
*
*


Dundee West
*
*
*
*
*


Dunfermline East
*
*
*
*
*


Dunfermline West
*
*
*
*
*


East Kilbride
*
*
*
*
*


East Lothian
*
*
*
*
*


Eastwood
*
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh Central
*
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
*
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh North and Leith
0
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh Pentlands
*
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh South
*
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh West
*
*
*
*
*


Falkirk East
*
*
*
*
*


Falkirk West
*
*
*
*
*


Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
200
300
300
300
300


Glasgow Anniesland
*
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Baillieston
*
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Cathcart
*
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Govan
*
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Kelvin
*
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Maryhill
*
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Pollok
*
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Rutherglen
*
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Shettleston
*
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Springburn
*
*
*
*
*


Gordon
200
100
100
100
100


Greenock and Inverclyde
*
*
*
*
*


Hamilton North and Bellshill
*
*
*
*
*


Hamilton South
*
*
*
*
*


Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
300
300
300
300
300


Kilmarnock and Loudoun
*
*
*
*
*


Kirkcaldy
*
*
*
*
*


Linlithgow
*
*
*
*
*


Livingston
*
*
*
*
*


Midlothian
*
*
*
*
*


Moray
200
300
300
300
200


Motherwell and Wishaw
*
*
*
*
*


North East Fife
*
*
*
*
*


North Tayside
200
200
200
200
200


Ochil
*
*
*
*
*


Orkney and Shetland
*
*
*
*
*


Paisley North
*
*
*
*
*


Paisley South
*
*
*
*
*


Perth
100
200
100
100
100


Ross, Skye and Inverness West
200
300
200
200
200


Roxburgh and Berwickshire
100
100
100
100
100


Stirling
200
300
300
300
300


Strathkelvin and Bearsden
*
*
*
*
*


Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
100
200
100
100
100


West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
100
200
100
200
100


West Renfrewshire
*
*
*
*
*


Western Isles
*
*
*
*
*



  Source: Annual Business Inquiry.

  Notes:

  *Data are restricted under the 1947 statistics of trade act.

  1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.

  2. 2001-02 figures are based on SIC 1992 codes and 2003-05 figures are based on SIC 2003 codes. This may lead to a discontinuity in levels.

  3. Data for 2001-02 are based on 1991 census wards. Data for 2003-05 are based on 2003 CAS wards.

  4. These statistics are workplace based.

  5. Parliamentary constituencies based on 1995 revision.

  6. These data are based on a survey and are therefore subject to a degree of error. Therefore any changes over time may not be significant.

  Table 2 Percentage Change in Employee Jobs in the Forestry, Logging and Related Service Activities Industry by Parliamentary Constituency, 2001-05

  

 
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05


Aberdeen Central
*
*
*
*


Aberdeen North
*
*
*
*


Aberdeen South
*
*
*
*


Airdrie and Shotts
*
*
*
*


Angus
*
*
*
*


Argyll and Bute
-12.8%
-10.3%
17.0%
-12.7%


Ayr
*
*
*
*


Banff and Buchan
*
*
*
*


Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
45.8%
-5.8%
29.6%
-22.9%


Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
*
*
*
*


Central Fife
*
*
*
*


Clydebank and Milngavie
*
*
*
*


Clydesdale
*
*
*
*


Coatbridge and Chryston
*
*
*
*


Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
*
*
*
*


Cunninghame North
*
*
*
*


Cunninghame South
*
*
*
*


Dumbarton
*
*
*
*


Dumfries
40.3%
-28.0%
6.7%
-0.5%


Dundee East
*
*
*
*


Dundee West
*
*
*
*


Dunfermline East
*
*
*
*


Dunfermline West
*
*
*
*


East Kilbride
*
*
*
*


East Lothian
*
*
*
*


Eastwood
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh Central
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh North and Leith
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh Pentlands
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh South
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh West
*
*
*
*


Falkirk East
*
*
*
*


Falkirk West
*
*
*
*


Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
12.1%
0.7%
11.1%
-19.3%


Glasgow Anniesland
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Baillieston
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Cathcart
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Govan
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Kelvin
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Maryhill
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Pollok
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Rutherglen
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Shettleston
*
*
*
*


Glasgow Springburn
*
*
*
*


Gordon
-39.6%
2.7%
26.7%
-24.5%


Greenock and Inverclyde
*
*
*
*


Hamilton North and Bellshill
*
*
*
*


Hamilton South
*
*
*
*


Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
12.2%
-4.2%
10.3%
-13.6%


Kilmarnock and Loudoun
*
*
*
*


Kirkcaldy
*
*
*
*


Linlithgow
*
*
*
*


Livingston
*
*
*
*


Midlothian
*
*
*
*


Moray
60.1%
2.7%
6.0%
-27.9%


Motherwell and Wishaw
*
*
*
*


North East Fife
*
*
*
*


North Tayside
25.1%
-11.4%
3.9%
-15.6%


Ochil
*
*
*
*


Orkney and Shetland
*
*
*
*


Paisley North
*
*
*
*


Paisley South
*
*
*
*


Perth
108.3%
-32.6%
15.3%
-21.3%


Ross, Skye and Inverness West
83.9%
-24.2%
2.8%
-20.3%


Roxburgh and Berwickshire
65.8%
-28.6%
45.6%
-19.8%


Stirling
19.0%
0.8%
18.9%
-18.5%


Strathkelvin and Bearsden
*
*
*
*


Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
63.0%
-18.7%
13.1%
-13.8%


West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
42.2%
-23.4%
16.3%
-25.1%


West Renfrewshire
*
*
*
*


Western Isles
*
*
*
*



  Source: Annual Business Inquiry.

  Notes:

  *Data are restricted under the 1947 statistics of trade act.

  1. Percentage changes are based on actuals rather than rounded figures.

  2. 2001-02 figures are based on SIC 1992 codes and 2003-05 figures are based on SIC 2003 codes. This may lead to a discontinuity in levels.

  3. Data for 2001–02 are based on 1991 census wards. Data for 2003-05 are based on 2003 CAS wards.

  4. These statistics are workplace based.

  5. Parliamentary constituencies based on 1995 revision.

  6. These data are based on a survey and are therefore subject to a degree of error. Therefore any changes over time may not be significant.

Fresh Talent Initiative

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Canadian citizens have used the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland visa scheme in the past two years and, of these, how many are still living and working in Scotland.

Mr Tom McCabe: Since the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme was launched in June 2005, 47 Canadian citizens have been accepted onto the scheme.

  During the first year of Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme there were 23 Canadian citizens accepted on the scheme, of these, seven responded to our monitoring questionnaire, and, at the time of response, all were living and working in Scotland.

Further and Higher Education

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what capital and revenue allocation has been made available to Angus College in each year since 2003-04.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Funding Council, and its predecessor the Scottish Further Education Funding Council, has been responsible for allocating funds to further education colleges during the period in question. The information requested for Angus College is as follows:

  

Year
Capital Grant £
Revenue* £


2003-04
638,015
7,681,468


2004-05
0
8,908,147


2005-06
0
9,205,875


2006-07
0
9,598,118



  Note: *Includes recurrent grant-in-aid and non-project specific capital funding.

Gambling

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available to NHS boards and other agencies to address gambling addiction.

Lewis Macdonald: NHS boards and other agencies have the resources to provide a full range of treatment and care services. We confirmed on 1 February the allocation of £10 billion to NHS boards in Scotland in 2007-08. It is for NHS boards to determine how best to use the resources allocated to them to plan and deliver services and support according to local and national priorities and needs.

Health

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest position is on the development of a managed clinical network for motor neurone disease.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has encouraged the Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association to develop proposals for a national Managed Clinical Network for Motor Neurone Disease, for submission to the National Services Advisory Group.

Health

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what stage the development of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland standards for neurological services has reached and when it expects these standards to be announced.

Mr Andy Kerr: Work on the stock take of neurological services is nearly complete, and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland expects its draft clinical standards for neurological services to be ready for publication this autumn.

Healthy Eating

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to encourage retailers in Clydesdale to promote healthy food options.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Grocers Federation Healthyliving Programme is funded by the Scottish Executive to increase the availability and improve the quality of healthy foods in local neighbourhood shops, especially in low income communities. Phase 3 of the programme, launched on 18 December 2006, aims to expand the initiative as widely as possible and it now includes a number of stores in the Clydesdale area.

Homelessness

Mr Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider setting a date beyond which it will no longer be acceptable for homeless families with young children to be temporarily housed in bed and breakfast accommodation (B&Bs).

Rhona Brankin: Placing homeless households with children or pregnant women in unsuitable temporary accommodation is already prohibited on a routine basis by the Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order (SSI 2004/489), which was brought into force at the end of 2004. This order defines standards which accommodation must meet in order not to be deemed unsuitable and further sets out exeptional circumstances in which unsuitable accommodation may be used. Some of these circumstances only allow the use of unsuitable accommodation for a maximum of fourteen days, others are not time limited.

  The purpose of the exceptional circumstances is to recognise that there will be times in which unsuitable temporary accommodation either has to be used as a last resort, or the households itself may wish to use temporary accommodation.

  The order does not prevent the use of all B&Bs, rather it requires that B&Bs which are used for temporary accommodation for households with children or pregnant women meet the standards set out in the order unless the exceptional circumstances apply.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average house price has been in the East Kilbride parliamentary constituency in each of the last five years.

Rhona Brankin: The following table provides the count, median and mean house price figures between 2001 and 2005 for the East Kilbride parliamentary constituency. The analysis uses information provided by the Land Value Information Unit (LVIU) at Paisley University. LVIU in turn source their data from Registers of Scotland. The count and median relates to all sales recorded within the East Kilbride parliamentary constituency area in the specified time period. The mean value excludes all sales with a value of less than £20,000 and over £1 million with the aim of excluding non market sales and non-residential sales.

  East Kilbride Parliamentary Constituency

  

Year
Count
Median
Mean


2001
2,282
£47,000
£ 63,248


2002
2,499
£49,000
£ 68,638


2003
2,871
£60,000
£ 81,291


2004
2,464
£70,000
£ 92,702


2005
2,709
£76,107
£110,777

Local Government

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30642 by Mr Tom McCabe on 23 January 2007, whether it will list all independent and external scrutiny bodies which report to Scottish ministers in respect of inspections and audits of local authorities.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive is committed to improving the way all public services are scrutinised via regulation, audit, inspection and complaints handling. Ministers are aware that the present scrutiny landscape is complex. So, ministers have asked Professor Lorne Crerar to look at how well these current external scrutiny arrangements reflect our principles of public service reform, avoid duplication, ensure common standards and focus on service users. We would expect his independent review to include an assessment of the impact of independent and external inspection and audit on local authorities by scrutiny bodies. That review will be published in summer 2007.

Malnutrition

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) children and (b) adults were admitted to hospital as a result of malnutrition in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: Centrally held information can provide details for patients where malnutrition is identified on their hospital records. These figures may represent an undercount of the true number of cases because malnutrition as an underlying reason for admission to hospital may not always be recorded, by clinicians or coded by coding staff. Furthermore, recent improvements in the completeness of coding (the number of diagnoses that are recorded) may suggest an undercount of the number of cases of malnutrition recorded in earlier years.

  The definition of malnutrition includes diagnoses of nutritional deficiencies (e.g. vitamin A, thiamine and calcium deficiencies), nutritional anaemias and malnutrition related diabetes mellitus.

  Table 1 shows the number of patients discharged from acute hospitals in Scotland with a diagnosis of malnutrition broken down by NHS board of residence and age group.

  Table 1: Number of Patients Discharged with Diagnosis of Malnutrition in NHS Scotland, by NHS Board of Residence; for Years Ending 31 March 1998-2006

  

All Ages
Year Ending 31 March


1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006


Scotland
1,755
1,808
1,784
1,627
1,586
1,731
1,752
1,821
1,909


Ayrshire and Arran
107
107
144
136
129
164
126
116
117


Borders
44
53
40
29
45
39
59
34
35


Dumfries and Galloway
86
101
117
104
90
98
91
81
85


Fife
43
49
75
74
93
98
107
123
125


Forth Valley
59
56
79
77
87
91
55
62
51


Grampian
62
69
70
67
53
55
83
96
95


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
578
620
499
450
386
426
440
511
503


Highland
72
68
84
75
86
92
87
97
137


Lanarkshire
261
287
275
268
187
200
172
157
145


Lothian
301
243
224
198
307
337
401
423
514


Orkney
5
2
3
1
2
3
5
5
8


Shetland
5
2
7
5
3
3
5
6
6


Tayside
124
131
157
134
113
116
118
103
82


Western Isles
8
20
10
9
5
9
3
7
6



  

Children (Aged 0-15 Years)
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006


Scotland
50
49
41
39
33
31
38
31
38


Ayrshire and Arran
4
7
6
3
3
2
5
4
1


Borders
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
1
-


Dumfries and Galloway
3
2
1
2
2
2
3
2
1


FIFE
5
2
3
2
-
6
2
1
-


Forth Valley
-
1
2
2
1
-
2
1
1


Grampian
4
8
6
4
4
2
2
3
2


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
10
14
10
5
9
3
9
5
10


Highland
8
5
3
7
7
5
2
1
2


Lanarkshire
6
3
1
6
2
3
1
4
5


Lothian
4
3
5
5
2
6
7
5
11


Orkney
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Shetland
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
-


Tayside
6
4
3
3
2
1
5
4
5


Western Isles
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
-



  

Adults (Aged 16 Years and Over)
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006


Scotland
1,705
1,759
1,743
1,588
1,553
1,700
1,714
1,790
1,871


Ayrshire and Arran
103
100
138
133
126
162
121
112
116


Borders
44
53
40
29
45
38
59
33
35


Dumfries and Galloway
83
99
116
102
88
96
88
79
84


Fife
38
47
72
72
93
92
105
122
125


Forth Valley
59
55
77
75
86
91
53
61
50


Grampian
58
61
64
63
49
53
81
93
93


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
568
606
489
445
377
423
431
506
493


Highland
64
63
81
68
79
87
85
96
135


Lanarkshire
255
284
274
262
185
197
171
153
140


Lothian
297
240
219
193
305
331
394
418
503


Orkney
5
2
3
1
2
3
5
5
8


Shetland
5
2
7
5
2
3
5
6
6


Tayside
118
127
154
131
111
115
113
99
77


Western Isles
8
20
9
9
5
9
3
7
6



  Notes:

  1. These statistics are derived from the linked database containing linked discharges from non-obstetric and non-psychiatric hospitals (SMR01) records in Scotland.

  2. Up to six diagnoses (one principal, five secondary) are recorded on the SMR01 return. All diagnostic positions have been used to select malnutrition.

  3. There is not one single, specific International Classification of Disease (ICD), tenth revision, code for malnutrition and this analysis is based on the following ICD10 codes: E40-E46, E50-E64, E12, O25, D51.3, D52.0, D53.2, D53.8, D53.9, M83.3, O24.2, F50.0, F50.1 and T73.0.

  4. Age group and NHS board of residence is assigned on the first discharge for each patient.

  5. Patients with more than one discharge in the year are only counted once but may be counted more than once across years.

Maritime Issues

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what fisheries quota was allocated to, and how many vessels qualified as, deep water vessels in each of the last three years.

Ross Finnie: 104 UK vessels were allocated a deep sea species (DSS) entitlement when these were first introduced in December 2002. In 2006, 57 Scottish administered active vessels held a DSS entitlement. The equivalent figures for 2005 and 2004 are 54 and 55 respectively.

  Deep sea quotas allocated to Producer Organisations (POs) in these years were:

  Tusk

  Ling

  Blue ling

  Black scabbardfish

  Roundnose grenadier

  Shark

  Forkbeard.

  Once allocated, it is for POs to distribute the available quota to their member vessels.

Medical Records

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to NHS boards in relation to granting patients access to the medical records of living relatives.

Lewis Macdonald: Health Rights Information Scotland is a project based within the Scottish Consumer Council, and funded by the Scottish Executive Health Department. It is a joint initiative to raise the quality of information available to patients in the NHS.

  The project has produced a paper patient leaflet How to see your Health Records which is widely available at GP surgeries and other NHS hospitals and clinics. It contains plain english guidance on how patients can see their Health Records. The guidance is also available at their website: http://www.hris.org.uk/?o=1256#8

  In relation to granting patients access to the medical records of living relatives this can be arranged if:

  The patient has agreed to this.

  The person applying for access is a parent, guardian, or main carer, and

  The child doesn’t understand what is involved.

  The person applying for access has a welfare power of attorney or a welfare guardianship order for someone who cannot make decisions for themselves and the order gives that person the power to look at their health records.

  The guidance also points to where to get more information about the rights of children and of adults who cannot make their own decisions or tell others their decisions.

Microsoft Government Leaders Forum

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the resource implications are for Lothian and Borders Police of the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum (GLF) Europe on 30 and 31 January 2007.

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what policing and security costs will be associated with the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum (GLF) Europe.

Cathy Jamieson: Lothian and Borders Police was allocated in the region of £185.4 million, out of a total police budget of almost £1.1 billion for 2006-07. In the last five years alone funding for Lothian and Borders Police has increased by £44.5 million and the number of police officers has risen by 172 with support staff rising by 282.

  The Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police is responsible for planning the use of the resources available to him to deliver the full range of policing activities, including maintaining public order and security.

Minimum Wage

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest annual estimate is of the number of people earning the national minimum wage or below in the (a) Angus, (b) Gordon, (c) West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine and (d) Banff and Buchan parliamentary constituencies.

Nicol Stephen: The preferred source for earnings estimates is the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics.

  Table 1 shows the estimated number of employees earning the national minimum wage or below in Angus, Gordon, West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine and Banff and Buchan parliamentary constituencies in 2006 (latest data).

  The estimates in the table are based on a sample survey, and as such, are subject to sampling error.

  Table 1 Number of People Earning the Minimum Wage or Below in Selected Parliamentary Constituencies, 2006

  

Constituency
2006


Angus
1,600


Banff and Buchan
1,000


Gordon
1,700


West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
600



  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

  Notes:

  1. The estimates are based on the hourly pay excluding overtime and shift premium payments.

  2. The estimates are based on a sample survey, and as such, are subject to sampling error.

  3. The estimates are based on place of residence.

  4. Parliamentary constituencies based on 2005 revision.

Ministerial Correspondence

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will reply to my letter dated 2 November 2006 regarding the safe containment of hazardous waste during demolition.

Des McNulty: We do not appear to have received the Member’s letter of 2 November 2006 on this issue. However, we did receive an e-mail, dated 10 November, from the Member on the same topic, and a reply to this e-mail will be issued shortly. We apologise for the delay in responding.

Ministerial Meetings

Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the joint ministerial (a) committee and (b) sub-committee meetings held since November 2005, including attendees.

Ms Margaret Curran: There have been no meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee since 1 November 2005.

  The following table provides a complete list of Scottish Executive ministerial attendance at all Joint Ministerial Sub-Committee meetings that have taken place since 1 November 2005.

  

Subject
Date
Venue
Scottish Minister


Europe 
14 November 2005 
London 
Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform


Europe 
17 January 2006 
London 
Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform


Europe 
13 March 2006 
London 
No Executive Minister was able to participate


Europe 
6 June 2006 
London 
Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform


Europe 
10 October 2006 
London 
Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning


Europe 
27 November 2006 
London 
Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform

NHS Complaints

Mr Andrew Arbuckle (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints were made under the NHS Complaints Procedure in (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006, also broken down by (i) NHS board and (ii) type of illness involved.

Mr Andy Kerr: Statistical information on complaints made though the NHS Complaints Procedure, broken down by NHS board and other NHS bodies and by financial rather than calendar year, is published annually and can be found at:  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/4362.html .

  Information on the illnesses affecting individuals who have made complaints or on whose behalf complaints have been made is not held centrally.

NHS Complaints

Mr Andrew Arbuckle (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any common themes have emerged from complaints made under the NHS Complaints Procedure from 2004 to 2006.

Mr Andy Kerr: Statistical information on the number of complaints submitted under the NHS Complaints Procedure, broken down by broad category groups such as treatment issues, transport issues, waiting times and others, is published annually and is available at: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/4362.html .

NHS Hospitals

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what written contract has been entered into between NHS Lothian and Consort Healthcare to allow the reduction of parking charges at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh from a maximum of £10 per day to £7 and whether it will publish any such contract.

Mr Andy Kerr: An agreement was made to reduce the parking charges levied by Meteor Parking at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh from a maximum of £10 per day to £7 per day at a regular meeting between NHS Lothian and Consort Healthcare. There is no written contract between NHS Lothian and Consort Healthcare to allow this reduction of parking charges.

NHS Staff

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many minor injury and illness units there are in each NHS board area; where they are located; what size of population they cover, and how many nurses are employed in each unit.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not available centrally in the format requested.

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the nursing vacancy rate was in each year since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table shows the figures for nursing and midwifery vacancies as a percentage of establishment.

  At 31 March

  

1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006


 2.8
 2.3
 3.2
 3.6
 3.5
3.7
4.2
3.5



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Further information on the statistics, including information on how the data is collected and notes to aid interpretation, is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under workforce statistics, at: http://www.isdscotland.org/workforce.

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the nursing vacancy rate was for posts vacant for more than three months in each year since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table shows the figures for nursing and midwifery staff vacancies (three months or more) by whole-time equivalent each year since 1999.

  At 31 March

  

1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006


 1.0
 0.6
 0.5
 0.9
 1.0
1.1
1.6
0.7



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Further information on the statistics, including information on how the data is collected and notes to aid interpretation, is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under workforce statistics, at: http://www.isdscotland.org/workforce.

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage and number of nurses left the profession in each year since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally. However, the number and percentage of registered nurses and midwives who left NHSScotland since 1999 is outlined in the following tables.

  Registered Nurses and Midwives leaving NHS Scotland1

  

Headcount
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Leavers
2,746
2,806
2,813
2,819
2,965
2,747
3,040


Leave NHS Scotland2
2,495
2,560
2,471
2,371
2,675
2,358
2,623


Leave to bank3
251
246
342
448
290
389
417



  Percentage of Staff in Post4

  

 
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Leavers
6.6%
6.6%
6.5%
6.4%
6.6%
6.0%
6.4%


Leave NHS Scotland2
6.0%
6.1%
5.7%
5.4%
5.9%
5.1%
5.6%


Leave to bank3
0.6%
0.6%
0.8%
1.0%
0.6%
0.8%
0.9%



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. Individual census files are linked together using national insurance number to produce an approximate career history for individuals employed by NHS Scotland. This linked file allows annual net movements in and out of NHS Scotland to be established. The movements are net as movements between censuses are not taken into account.

  2. Individuals leaving NHS Scotland are those who were on a census in one year but were not on it in the following year. This will comprise those retiring, those choosing to work as a nurse outside NHS Scotland and those leaving the profession.

  3. Individuals moving to the nursing and midwifery bank are those individuals who leave a substantive post to work on the bank.

  4. The percentage of staff in post is calculated as leavers / average of staff in post in year 1 + staff in post in year 2. e.g. leavers in 1999 / ((staff in post 1999 + staff in post 2000) / 2))

  Further information on the statistics, including information on how the data is collected and notes to aid interpretation, is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under workforce statistics, at: http://www.isdscotland.org/workforce.

Planning (Control of Major-Accident Hazards) (Scotland) Regulations 2000

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on consents issued by planning authorities under the Planning (Control of Major-Accident Hazards) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 since the regulations came into force.

Des McNulty: The Planning (Control of Major-Accident Hazards) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 amended, amongst other things, the Town and Country Planning (Hazardous Substances) (Scotland) Regulations 1993. The Scottish Executive holds statistics on the number of applications made to planning authorities for consent under regulation 5 of the 1993 regulations. These are collected on a six-monthly basis and are shown in the following table.

  Applications for Hazardous Substances Consent Dealt with by Planning Authorities 2000-05

  

Planning Authority*
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05


Aberdeen City 
 
 
 
 
3


Aberdeenshire
3
 
1
4
 


Angus
2
 
 
 
 


Argyll and Bute
 
 
 
 
1


Clackmannanshire
3
 
 
 
 


Dumfries and Galloway
1
 
 
 
 


Dundee City 
1
 
 
1
1


East Ayrshire
2
4
 
 
2


Edinburgh 
4
1
1
 
1


Falkirk 
7
1
1
4
2


Fife 
 
3
 
 
1


Glasgow City 
7
1
2
 
 


Highland 
11
1
1
3
 


Inverclyde
1
1
1
 
 


North Ayrshire
 
 
 
2
1


North Lanarkshire 
 
1
2
 
 


Renfrewshire
10
 
1
 
1


South Lanarkshire 
 
1
2
 
2


West Dunbartonshire 
1
 
 
2
 


West Lothian 
 
3
 
2
 


Scotland 
53
17
12
18
15



  Note: *Only those authorities with consents granted during the period have been included in the table.

Planning (Control of Major-Accident Hazards) (Scotland) Regulations 2000

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it takes to monitor the consent procedure and collect information on consents granted by planning authorities under the Planning (Control of Major-Accident Hazards) (Scotland) Regulations 2000.

Des McNulty: The Planning (Control of Major-Accident Hazards) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 amended, amongst other things, the Town and Country Planning (Hazardous Substances) (Scotland) Regulations 1993. The Scottish Executive has not yet carried out a review of the operation of the consent procedure set out in the 1993 Regulations.

  With regard to information on consents I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-31378 on 5 February 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Police

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police community support officers were assaulted on duty in each of the last three years.

Cathy Jamieson: There are no police community support officers in Scottish police forces.

Public Expenditure

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31078 by Mr Tom McCabe on 24 January 2007, what the estimated oil revenues were for each year since Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland was first published.

Mr Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-31166 on 1 February 2007. This information is also available in the latest edition of Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland (GERS) 2004-05  – Table 4.2, p24. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Schools

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools have been closed in the Stirling local authority area since 1996, showing the name of each school and the year of closure.

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools have been closed in the Perth and Kinross local authority area since 1996, showing the name of each school and the year of closure.

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools have been closed in the Angus local authority area since 1996, showing the name of each school and the year of closure.

Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer to questions S2W-29664 and S2W-29665 on 17 November 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Scottish Executive Correspondence

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is standard policy to label early drafts of its papers intended for publication as "Restricted - Advice to Ministers".

Mr Tom McCabe: It is policy for the Scottish Executive to apply a Protective Marking to a document that meets the criteria as detailed in the UK’s Protective Marking System guidance. In regard to the use of the Advice to Ministers descriptor, the Cabinet Office maintains a core descriptor list, however Departments may devise their own descriptors and apply them to their information. The Advice to Ministers descriptor is used by the Executive to identify papers which need to be handled carefully and is most commonly applied to papers during the development of policy.

Scottish Executive Correspondence

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues on labelling "Restricted - Advice to Ministers" on its documents.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive follows the UK’s Protective Marking System. Guidance on this System and on the standard descriptors which can be applied to protective markings within the Executive, which denote the nature of the sensitivity involved, is made available to all Executive employees via its Intranet. Guidance is also embedded in templates used by civil servants in preparing submissions to ministers.

Scottish Executive Finance

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the limit is on contingent liabilities into which it can enter.

Mr Tom McCabe: There is no limit on contingent liabilities as such – it is the nature of a contingent liability that its actual liability or its extent or its timing is uncertain. The Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) does, however, set out a procedure to follow where the Executive proposes to enter into legally enforceable undertakings which could give rise to a contingent liability: the prior approval of the Parliament (via the Finance Committee) must be secured before entering into any specific guarantee, indemnity, or letter or statement of comfort unless there is a specific statutory authority, it arises in the normal course of business or the sum at risk is of £1 million or less. The Executive’s annual accounts report contingent liabilities at the relevant Balance Sheet date in accordance with the Government Financial Reporting Manual. The relevant section of the SPFM can be found at:  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Finance/spfm/contingentliabs .

Scottish Executive Staff

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its civil servants have been disciplined for racist behaviour in each of the last five years, broken down by grade.

Mr Tom McCabe: No Scottish Executive staff have been disciplined for racist behaviour in the last five years.

Security Industry

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding the Security Industry Authority and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Home Office and the Security Industry Authority at both ministerial and official level.

Student Finance

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students from low-income backgrounds in the (a) Angus and (b) Aberdeenshire local authority areas have had their university fees paid in each year since 2002-03.

Nicol Stephen: The following table highlights the number of fees paid by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to students at higher education institutions from low-income backgrounds who were domiciled in the (a) Angus and (b) Aberdeenshire local authority areas in each year since 2002-03:

  Students from Low-Income Backgrounds who have had their University Fees Paid, by Local Authority Area

  

Academic Year
(a) Angus
(b) Aberdeenshire


2002-03
350
575


2003-04
320
625


2004-05
325
600


2005-06
350
625



  For the purposes of this answer students are defined as being from "low-income" backgrounds if they have declared parental/spousal income details of not more than £17,500, which was the SAAS means-tested threshold in 2005-06 for receipt of full financial support through the Young Students Bursary (YSB). For comparable results over the period in question this threshold has been kept constant, even although the full YSB threshold has changed in this period.

  Students who have not declared parental/spousal income details and those that are classed as exempt from parental contribution have not been included in the above table.

Waste Management

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to (a) Angus and (b) Aberdeenshire councils from the Strategic Waste Fund in each year since 2003.

Ross Finnie: The following table details the amounts allocated to Angus and Aberdeenshire Councils from the Strategic Waste Fund since 2003.

  

Year
Angus Council 
(£)
Aberdeenshire Council 
(£)


2002-03
0
550,000


2003-04
359,000
1,979,000


2004-05
1,706,000
2,242,000


2005-06
2,753,000
4,742,000


2006-07
1,284,065
6,367,000


2007-08
1,209,000
4,078,000


Indicative Awards from 2008-09 to 2020
13,730,000
35,292,000


Total (including indicative awards).
21,041,065
55,250,000